Spirit Riders, Episode 5: Doubts emerge
by chibiwriter
Summary: Eva begins to doubt her fighting skill and attempts the ninja screening test. Unfortunately, she fails. Read on to find out what happens...
1. Left out

**Disclaimer: Anything you recognize belongs to Disney/Haim Saban**

_A/N: I know I usually put this at the end of the chapter but I wanted to be different this time round 'cause I wanted to shout out to JuseaPeterson. Thanks for actually reading my series (btw, she's read ALL the stories!!) and reviewing and actually having the patience to wait for the next episode to come. This is for you; a sort of DavidEva fic but mostly Eva. Hope you like it._

* * *

"This is scary." 

At Eva's comment, all five of her friends paused in their activities to look at her. David, clad in a red tee and jeans, with his pale blond hair spiking every which way and his warm slanted brown eyes currently narrowed slightly narrowed in puzzlement, paused in arranging the multi coloured cushions.

Trev, wearing a green button down shirt, glasses that usually hid his brown eyes sliding down his nose and his dark hair in its usually messy tumble, turned away from the mystifying control panels to stare at her.

Ris, nearly drowning in an old yellow sweater, brown curls tumbling around her shoulders and hazel eyes wide and surprised, had been reading something for her chemistry.

Jeanie, dressed in a pale pink top, her red hair pulled away from her face and bright blues sparkling behind glasses, raised her eyes as she turned away from whatever she was doing at the control panel opposite Trev.

And Jay, covered in black cloth all over, his dark hair spiked and matching eyebrows raising over dark eyes, sat up from where he'd been lying on the floor, staring randomly at the ceiling of the cavernous command base.

"What's scary?" David asked finally, pulling at the black cushion Jay had been resting his head on. In reply, Jay grabbed it back, hugged it to his chest.

"How used we've gotten to this." She said, putting down the random objects Dayton had given to her to practice her special power of Knowledge on. "I mean, two weeks ago, we were just normal high school students…" she trailed off at the looks the others exchanged. "Okay, _I_ was a normal high school student," she amended.

"Hey," Jay protested. "We were normal as well."

"You were high school students who were also attending top secret ninja academies you'd been sworn never to reveal and you also had an alien for an aunt."

"Two aliens," Jeanie reminded her. "Aunt Kapri _is_ Aunt Ris's sister by blood…or ooze…or whatever."

"Mum says they're sisters of the egg," Ris said in a cheerful voice. "No idea what the heck that means, and I don't really want to, but it sounds cool doesn't, it?"

They stared at her. "I think," Eva said at length. "You should stick to sisters by blood."

"Agreed," Jeanie said, and twisted a knob on the control panel when the light above it flashed.

On the opposite side of the command base, Trev swore. "Damn it, Jeanie. You did that too soon."

"I did it at the exact time I was supposed to," Jeanie shot back. "You're the one coding too damn slow."

"Okay," David said, holding up a hand. "Before Jeanie and Trev descend into geek talk, what was your point, Eva?"

The pretty brunette with sharp green eyes and clad in the light blue top with a darker jeans jacket over it just shrugged. "I was just saying how easily and quickly we've become used to the abnormal. Well, how I have," she corrected. "Seeing as your lives before this was anything but normal."

"They were normal to us," Jeanie pointed out, punching something into the control panel. The lights on both panels flashed madly before the cavern was plunged into darkness.

"Shit!" Trev swore.

"Jeanie," David said in a warning voice. "Trev. Fix it. Now. Before Dayton gets back."

"Speaking of Dayton," Ris's voice came through the darkness. "Where'd he go?"

Jay shrugged before remembering no one could see him. "No idea. Eva?"

"Why're you asking me?" She asked, sounding startled.

"Because you spend the most time with him," Jay pointed out.

"Oh. Yeah. Point. But I'm the same as you. I might spend the most time with Dayton but that doesn't mean he tells me where he goes." The lights flickered on and Eva blinked to adjust her eyes to the brightness. "I think he just goes somewhere to think," she added. "Like, sometimes, he needs to get away from it all."

"You mean he needs to get away from us," Jeanie said in a dry voice, finally giving up on whatever she and Trev had been trying to synchronize. She filched a cushion from the pattern David had been creating and threw herself down beside Ris. "But I see your point."

"On Dayton needing to get away?" Eva asked, mildly surprised. It was a minor point and even Ris had no difficulty understanding what she'd meant.

"No. I mean, yes, I get that," Jeanie added to clarify. "I meant what you said earlier, about this being scary. I guess it is. I mean, look at us," she gestured the command base and them in it. "We treat this place like one of our hang outs. We don't just come here to train. We come to here to relax and unwind. It's scary how comfortable we've become with this place and the idea of being rangers."

"Exactly," Eva nodded to emphasize her point. She picked up a black mug with the smiley face from the movie _Evolution_ painted on it. "Jay drank hot chocolate from this two hours ago," she said aloud.

Jay stared at her. "Can you not _do that_?" He asked in a complaining voice, though the corners of his lips tugged. "It's creepy."

A bright smile flashed. "That's the point."

David, bored of playing with the cushions, laid down so his hair tickled the outside of Eva's thigh. One of her hands descended, entangling its fingers in the soft strands while her other hand set the mug down and picked up a pen. Jay caught Jeanie's eyes and smirked but, luckily for him, neither David nor Eva noticed.

Eva looked at the pen closely. "Trev used this to make notes yesterday afternoon," she announced. She set it down. "I wonder where Dayton gets all these things."

"I think he just picks them up when we leave them around the base," Jeanie replied. She was now checking Ris's chemistry homework. Ris had lain down on her stomach, legs kicking up, chin cupped in her hands.

Trev, having finally given up on the control panel, sat down next to Eva and picked up his pen. "I've been looking for this," he said, sliding it into his jeans pocket.

They all turned as they heard footsteps approaching. Dayton appeared; a tall good looking man with too long dark hair and tawny eyes, dressed in a pale coloured tunic and matching pants, with a dark slash of colour in the form of a belt hanging low on his hips. "Hey Dayton," Ris called out a greeting. "Where'd you disappear off to?"

"Hello Marissa," the ranger mentor said, coming down the last few steps. "I did not go far. I simply took a walk outside. It is a good day for a walk."

"You all right?" Jay asked, because the all too handsome man looked a little solemn, a lot sad.

Dayton managed a smile. "I am fine James."

Eva smiled quietly to herself. It was funny how Jay never minded when Dayton called him by his full name but he threatened to beat up anyone else who did.

"Have you finished trying to upgrade the panels, Trevor?" Dayton asked, crossing to the panel.

"I tried," Trev said. "but I really don't understand the language it codes in. It's like…trying to read Russian."

"But I thought you can read Russian," Ris said in a startled voice.

"It was a metaphor," Trev replied.

"A bad and cliché one," Jeanie pointed out. "Here. Re-do questions three and seven. I have no idea how you got those answers by the way. How the hell can four carbon atoms make one ethane molecule?"

Ris looked puzzled. "Doesn't it?" She asked, taking the notebook and picking up her pen.

"No," Trev said. "Four carbon molecules make butane. Ethane has _two_ carbon atoms. Do you actually listen in chemistry?"

"Sometimes," Ris replied, distracted as she scribbled in the book.

"The code is a language older than the oldest language known to mine. It was spoken during the time of my people," Dayton explained as he moved through the command base to the panels, probably to check that Trev and Jeanie hadn't inadvertently destroyed them. "I do not think the system truly needs to be upgraded." Almost thoughtfully, he shifted some of the dials back to their original points.

"Who were your people?" Jeanie asked. "Did they all look like you?"

Everyone turned to look at their mentor. Even Ris lifted her head from her chemistry homework, her interest piqued. "Of course not," Dayton said. "We all had different eye colour, different hair colour –"

"What I think Jeanie meant," David interrupted gently. "Did you all share common features, and I'm not just talking about it you all had noses and eyes, etc?"

"Well," Dayton's hands paused on the panels and he lifted his head to space, staring blankly at the air before him.

"Dayton?" Eva ventured after the moment's silence stretched several beats. "Are you all right?"

"Yes." Eva's question seemed to snap him back and he turned to smile at them. "Yes, I am quite all right." But there was something in his eyes that sparked off some worry that niggled the pit of her belly. Before Eva could open her mouth to make sure, though, a persistent beeping sounded near her.

She looked to her side, where David was sitting up, eyes on his watch. "Crap." He got up. "Come on guys, we've got to run."

"Go where?" Ris asked, scrambling to her feet as everyone got to theirs. "Where're we going?"

"Ninja practice," David replied, absently stroking a hand down Eva's hair in good bye. "See you later."

"Later," Jeanie said, passing her.

"Bye," Trev added, walking with Jeanie.

"See you," Ris chirped, practically skipping to the portal that would transport them to the empty lot a few feet from her house.

"Yeah," Jay said, shrugging on his black leather jacket as he went. "Later." He gave them a small wave before the portal. It closed silently behind him.

"Great." Eva flumped herself on her back. "Stuck here again."

At that, Dayton looked at her, raising his eyebrows. "Do you dislike it here, Eva?"

"No," she raised herself on her elbows to better face him. "That's not what I meant. What I mean is…"

"You feel left out," he said. Having spent more than several hours with her each day, Dayton had become an almost expert in reading the blue ranger's expressions and moods.

"Yeah," she admitted, sitting up completely. "I mean, not only are they cousins and they've known each other all their lives, they're also ninja students in this super secret academy which they attend three times a week. Which makes them way better at fighting than me, which is another thing they have together that I don't share. I don't know," she said, shaking back her hair with a sigh. "Sometimes I feel like I'm just tacked on, you know?" She looked at him.

Dayton looked thoughtful for a moment. "Perhaps you should meditate," he suggested. "You will find a way to combat this feeling."

Eva stared at him before rolling her eyes and getting to her feet. "Oh yeah. Meditate. At least that's one thing I'm about par with them." Sounding disgusted, she strode for the exit. "I'll see you later Dayton."

The portal closed behind her before the millennias old guardian could say anything further.

* * *

The call came later in the day when Eva was just finishing off a slushy. "Eva. There is a monster in the industrial zone. The others are already on their way."

"Got that Dayton," Eva replied, fingers pressed to the silver bracelet adorning her wrist that doubled as a communicator. She looked around, then ducked into a nearby deserted alley, tossing the slushy as she went. Standing with her legs braced apart, she crossed her left arm over her chest. The bracelet disappeared in a flash of light, transforming into her morpher.

"Griffin Rider, Ranger Form!"

Swirling blue lights engulfed her head, working their way down, until she was completely hidden from sight. Then they dissipated and standing in the place of the slim brunette was a Power Ranger. Dressed in light blue, with a griffin's head on her chest and her helmet styled in the way of the same creature's head, Eva ran out of the alley.

"Are the other rangers and the monster still in the industrial zone?" She asked as she ran with the super speed empowered to all the rangers.

"Yes," came the reply. "They are near the empty warehouses."

"Again?" Eva asked even as she sped up.

David was facing off the monster one on one when Eva arrived on the scene. The others were battling the monster's usual platoon of Frissons. The monster, Eva saw, was tall – a full head taller than David – and thin, almost snakelike, with four tentacle-like arms and a turtle's shell on its back. It head was similar to that of an alligator's. "That," she said. "Is one _ugly_ monster."

"Yeah," Jay panted, stumbling back so he nearly bumped into her side. She steadied him. "That's a face even a mother couldn't love."

"I don't think monsters have mothers," Jeanie said in a dry voice, back flipped towards them. She did a perfect landing on Eva's other side.

"Who cares?" Jay pointed out. He slid into his ready stance. "Let's get rid of them. I'm sure their non existent mothers will thank us."

"Yes," Eva raised her fists. "Let's do this."

As one, they waited for the Frissons to swarm towards them before attacking. Jay grabbed onto one's arm, turned so he was behind it and chopped a hand at the spot he guessed was between its shoulder blades. The tension in its arm loosened and he slammed a fist into its head, exploding it.

Two Frissons grabbed Jeanie on her shoulders. She grabbed their arms and threw them over her shoulder, snapping upright and jumping on their heads with her feet. They exploded under her feet.

Eva ducked one's blow, another's swipe. She blocked yet another kick to her chest with her forearms and surged forward, grabbing two Frissons' enlarged heads and slamming them together. They exploded simultaneously.

"I love it when they do that," Jay said in a voice that hinted at a wild somewhat insane smile under his helmet.

"How 'bout you stop talking," Trev suggested, chopping one Frisson in the neck, following it with a slam of his elbow into its chest and a punch to the face. "And make them all do that?"

"Exactly what I was thinking," Jeanie said, kicking one in the knee and hitting it in the head when it fell. Shining colourful shards flew in her face.

While his team fought the Frissons, David was struggling to get an upper hand on the monster. But, damn, the thing was fast. He shifted to kick it and, suddenly, it was on his other side. Taking it in stride, he managed to catch it in the belly with a roundhouse kick. When it stumbled, startled by the pain, he followed it up with jump, a twist and a smack of his foot on its head.

With a growl, the monster stepped forward, punched the red ranger. It struck him in the chest with inhuman force, nearly making him fly. He managed to only slide the couple of inches and tried a flying kick. The monster immediately blocked it with one of its four arms, another of its arm grabbing David's leg and twisting it.

David hissed in a quick breath as he managed to turn so his leg didn't twist out of its socket. Ris came flying out of nowhere with a downward slice that released David's leg. They both retreated a few feet back. "You okay?" Ris asked.

"Just a twinge," David said with bared teeth.

"Just a twinge?" The monster asked in a deep voice. "Twinge this!" Between cupped hands, a laser formed, which made its way to them.

They separated, flipping away in opposite directions so the laser blasted the ground between them. "You have got to," David said, landing with knees bent and one hand on the ground. "Find better comebacks than that."

"Like this one!" Jay yelled, coming from behind the monster, his foot landing itself on the monster's back.

It fell while Jay joined his cousins. "Nice," Ris said.

"I thought so too," Jay replied.

Jeanie, Trev and Eva all punched the remaining Frisson in its face, watched as it exploded. "Now that's done," Jeanie said, brushing off her hands. "Let's finish that one off."

"Agreed," Trev said and they turned to face the monster.

Finding itself facing six rangers alone, the monster made one of the wiser decisions in its life. "I will destroy you!" It disappeared.

"Well," Jay said, turning to the others. "That was kinda…"

"Pointless," Jeanie finished. She sounded annoyed. "I can't believe I had to run out on my date for this."

David glanced around. "Power down," he said once he saw the coast was clear.

The others followed suit. "I'll see you guys later," Jeanie said. "I have to go make up to Eric." She set off at a jog.

"Later," Trev muttered some unintelligible but it sounded like 'stupid idiot to help her make up'. He walked off.

Jay, Ris, David and Eva looked at each other. "Want a slushy?" Jay asked.


	2. Point to prove

**Disclaimer: Everything you recognize belongs to Disney/Haim Saban**

David stepped out of the shower, wrapped a towel around his hips. He'd slicked back his hair and he could feel drops of water fall between his shoulder blades. He padded into his room, opened his closet and randomly picked the first tee he could find. He was just turning towards his bed when Mary Ann called through his closed door; "David! Phone for you!"

"Who is it?" He hollered back.

"Eva!"

He immediately dropped the clothes on his bed, picked up the extension. "Got it!" He yelled for Mary Ann's benefit before putting the receiver to his ear. "Hey Eva. What's up?"

"How exactly are you tested for ninja…ness?" She asked.

David took a moment to process the question. "You mean the screening test?" He asked.

"Yes."

"Uh…well…it's kinda complicated. And I took it a while back so I can't really remember that well. And it changes from academy to academy."

"Does it have a basic outline?" She asked sounding impatient.

"Uh…" David's brow furrowed and he ran a hand through his hair, scattering water drops everywhere. He ignored them. What the hell was the girl getting at? "Yes."

"Great. What is it?"

"Well, you're basically asked to show your martial arts skills in a spar with one of the existing students or lesser teachers. And then you're asked to meditate and Uncle Cam's made this thing that measures your inner ninja. Before that, I don't know how they did it – something to do with the master sensei of the academy meditating with the candidates and sending his aura to them or something like that – but now they just use Uncle Cam's invention. It works on the basis that your inner ninja is stronger when you're meditating. Sometimes, they ask you to touch things, like a rock and a bowl of water and ask you if you feel anything. But that's like a preclude to the elementals test."

"Okay. Do they do the screening test in big groups or are there individual screening tests?"

"There are big group tests once a year, usually around November, but for individuals that show massive potential, there are individual screening tests."

Eva was silent for a long moment. "Okay. Cool. Thanks."

"Wait!" David said before she could hang up. "What was all that about? Why'd you ask me about the screening test?"

"Oh…because I want to try it."

"What? What?" Stunned would have been an understatement.

"I want to try it. Thanks David. Bye." She hung up before he could stop her.

"David?" This time his mum, Tori, at the door. "David, dinner's ready."

"Um, okay. I'll be right down mum." He called back.

"Okay." He heard soft footsteps pad to his sister's room next door. He got up, dried himself off and pulled on his clothes.

Then he couldn't stand it anymore and he picked up the phone, punched in a number from memory. It was picked up on the first ring. "Hello?" Asked a bored male voice.

"Hi, can I speak to Eva?"

There was silence on the other end. "Who's this?"

"David."

"Eva's una –"

There was a distant female voice in a background and David heard some shifting around as the dude on the other end of the phone spoke to her. Then he heard some thumps, a grunt of what could have been pain and a cut off curse before Eva came on. "Hello? David?"

"Hey. Eva. Um…I just wanted to ask why?"

"Why what?"

"Why do you want to go for the screening test?" He asked in as patient voice as possible, picking up his towel and roughly running it through his hair.

She was silent for a long moment but there was a quality to the silence that told David she was choosing her words carefully. "Because I want to see," she said finally.

David frowned. "See what?"

"See if I'm as good as you guys."

"What?" David startled, dropping the towel. He ignored the sound it made when it landed, simply stepped over it as he paced his room. "What the hell does that mean? Eva, you're as every good as us."

"Not when it comes to fighting," she shot back. "Fighting, I'm weak as a horse's ass."

"Huh? What the hell does that mean?"

"I don't know. It just came out. My point is; I'm weaker at fighting than you guys."

"You're getting better."

"But I'm still not as good," she said. "You guys train three times a week, as well as four times a week with Dayton and me, and I can't even count the amount of times you've sparred with each other or your parents in your spare time. When it comes down to it, I'm not nearly as good as I should be."

"Eva…"

"David." He heard her take a deep breath. "Just let me try, okay?" She asked. "I just want to see."

He mulled it over in his head. Why, he asked himself, why me? "Okay," he said finally. "Talk it over with Uncle Dustin. He's the most enthusiastic when it comes to new ninja students."

"Thanks David," she sounded delighted. "I'll see you later." She hung up.

"Yeah," he said glumly, suddenly feeling slightly depressed. He bent down, picked up his wet towel. "Later." He put the receiver back in its cradle and wondered when she'd call him just to chat, not when she needed to know something.

"She wants to what?" Jeanie asked, raising her eyebrows.

* * *

"You heard me," David countered. "She wants to do the screening test."

There were only two of them, sitting in Jeanie's kitchen on Saturday. Trev had, from all accounts, sequestered himself in his room, talking about some upgrades he wanted to try. Ris was helping her mum take care of the baby while Jay had been roped into helping his dad at Storm Chargers. Eva was God knew where doing God knew what. David had a feeling it was something to do with the screening test coming up.

She had, following his advice, approached Dustin, and he had agreed to oversee her test.

"You did try talk her out of it?" Jeanie asked.

David shifted uncomfortably. "Well…"

"You didn't?" Jeanie nearly shrieked it.

David winced, at the tone of the voice, at the anger in it, but, most of all, at the expression on her face. "I kinda…told her…to go to see Uncle Dustin."

"There's no kinda about that, David," Jeanie said. "You _did_ tell her to see Uncle Dustin."

"Yeah," he admitted and stared down at his melting ice cream. He and Jeanie had both decided on chocolate banana splits today.

"What the hell were you thinking David?" Jeanie asked, leaning forward and lowering her voice. David didn't see the point in that; it wasn't like there was anyone to hear. The house was deserted but for the two of them. "The screening test is hard, even for those students who've been doing martial arts all their lives. Eva doesn't even _do_ marital arts. Do you know how difficult she'll find it? Beyond difficult," Jeanie said. "Uncle Dustin might be the most laid back out of all the teachers in both academies but, damnit, David, he's tough. You _know_ he's tough. Why the hell didn't you talk her out of it?"

"Because she has something to prove," he said. "I'm not quite sure what the hell it is, but she hads something to prove. If I tried to talk her out of it, she'd think I don't think she can do it."

"That's just it," Jeanie said, shoving her ice cream away from her in agitation. "She _can't_ do it. Did you tell her that you almost failed?"

"Well. No –"

"That Jay fractured his opponent's wrist in the spar?"

"Uh –"

"That during the elementals test – _if_ she even gets that far – I nearly got electrocuted?"

"She –"

"She what? Batted her lashes at you and said pretty please?"

"No," David's voice was strong as a whip lash and had the desired effect of shutting his cousin up. "She did exactly what you were doing, which is not give me a chance to say anything. Do you _think_ Eva would have listened to anything I said? She'd made up her mind and that girl's just as stubborn as you once she's made up her mind.

"Besides," he added, sitting back. "She's got ranger powers. She'll pass."

"You know as well as me," Jeanie said in a soft voice, "Eva won't use her powers."

David dropped his head back, half closed his eyes. "If she passes, she'll have made her point and she'll be more confident in her fighting abilities."

"David," Jeanie put her hand on his. "The question is; what if she fails?"

"I don't know," he said in a voice too tired for someone of his age. "I don't know, Jeanie."


	3. The screening test

**Disclaimer: Everything you recognize belongs to Disney/Haim Saban**

"Are you ready Eva?"

Eva took a deep breath, rolled her shoulders and gave a sharp nod. "Ready."

Before her, Ris slid into her ready stance; legs splayed apart, one bent back, one arm crossed over her chest, the other bent back, both hands fisted. And Eva simply shifted her feet so they were about her shoulder width apart and raised her fist.

Then Ris attacked. Eva barely had time to block the sudden move before Ris whirled, her fist swinging around. Eva ducked, grabbed her arm and twisted it behind her back. Ris bent at the waist sharp enough to send Eva vaulting over.

Sprawled on the ground, Eva blinked up a few times at the sky.

"Eva?" It was Dustin Brooks – Ris's dad – who spoke. "Are you all right? Can you continue?"

"Yeah," Eva managed, standing up again. "I'm seeing this to the end."

She and Ris were facing off in a circle of sand with a thick line of rope marking the border. Scattered around the border were ten people; their four team mates and six sensei from the Thunder and Wind Ninja Academy. Cam and Hunter, the Thunder and Wind headmasters respectively; Blake, the Navy Thunder sensei of the Thunder academy; and Shane, Tori and Dustin, the Air, Water and Earth sensei from the Wind Ninja academy respectively. Dustin, as the sensei who had put Eva up for consideration, was acting as the mediator for the match.

"Stances," Dustin instructed.

They readied themselves, and then attacked once again. Ris attempted a roundhouse punch, which Eva successfully blocked. Ris tried to counter the block with a quick left jab. Eva blocked that as well, tried to plough her fist into Ris's belly. Ris turned slightly so Eva's fist just grazed her side, then snapped her fingers over Eva's wrist, using it to the spin the slim girl around. With her back to her opponent, Eva kicked back, catching Ris in the shin hard enough to have the vice around her wrist released.

Taking advantage, she whirled round with a roundhouse kick.

Ris ducked so Eva's foot skimmed the air above her head and tried to sweep Eva's feet out from under her. Eva somersaulted back before she could finish the move.

"Good move," Jay called from the sidelines and earned a hard look from his dad.

"Shut up Jay," Jeanie muttered out of the corner of her mouth. "It was hard enough to get permission to sit in on the test."

"Just sit tight and don't make a sound," advised Trev. "It'll be a bit hard for you but don't get us kicked out okay? I don't think David'll be able to stand the tension." So saying, Trev peeked out of the corner of his eyes at his blond haired cousin.

David was standing with his hands in his pockets; a deceptively relaxed pose. In his pockets, his hands were fisted and every muscle in his lean body tensed. His eyes were narrowed against the gentle breeze, his mouth pulled into a slight frown.

In the circle, Eva and Ris had backed off for a while to catch their breath. Then Eva came in with a sudden flying kick to Ris's head. The earth ninja easily ducked the wild blow and Eva nearly stumbled out of the circle. Catching her balance, she turned and barely had time to block Ris's flurry of jabs. She suddenly dropped down, managed to hook her leg around Ris's and send the ninja flying to the ground.

Almost before she hit, Ris was tucking herself into a ball so she rolled harmlessly on the ground before leaping to her feet. Eva raised her arms in time to deflect Ris's counter-attack, struck out and her fist bounced off Ris's shoulder. Ris responded with a hook to her chin. Eva moved away in time, caught her retreating hand and used it to temporarily lock the ninja.

Ris easily broke loose by looping hers and Eva's joined hands over her head and smacking Eva in the stomach hard enough to make her let go.

Eva took a step back, rubbing her injured belly. Ris slid into her ready stance to prepare herself from the next attack.

She didn't have to wait long. Eva came forward with a huge leap and a subsequent front kick. Ducking under the attack, Ris came up beside Eva, shifted for a side kick. Eva turned, grabbed her leg seconds before it made contact, twisting it.

With an ease Eva couldn't help but admire, her opponent followed the twist with a quick – she didn't know what to call it – roll in the air, spinning her leg out of Eva's grasp. Ris landed, shifted and struck out with a roundhouse kick.

Eva stepped back and then forwards, onto her hands, as she tried to catch Ris off guard by slamming her feet into Ris's shoulder. Ris angled her body so Eva just performed a somersault and turned so they faced each other.

Eva jabbed, leading with her left. Ris blocked the fast blows, retaliated with a right jab of her own. Though Eva dodged it, it still hit her ear, stinging.

"Eva's slowing down," Jeanie murmured.

"She's tired," David said in a testy voice. "She's not used to this, like we are."

"She's doing pretty good," Jay ventured. David didn't reply, eyes on the action.

Ris now had Eva in a lock and was currently trying to throw her to the ground. Somehow, with a lot of flailing of her arms, Eva managed to break Ris's hold and turned in a flurry, taking a step back as she did. Ris, sensing weakness, didn't wait for Eva to recover.

She came in strong, with jabs and hooks, ducking and weaving so her image swam in front of Eva's eyes until she felt sick. But still she managed to block most of the blows as she retreated step after step, though one glanced off her brow and made her head ring. Moments before she stepped out of the ring, Dustin's voice ran out; "Time!"

"Dustin," Shane murmured for his friend's ears only. "What've we talked about appropriate timing for stopping matches?"

"Time is time Shane," Tori's sharp ears had easily caught Shane's question. "Leave him alone."

Shane looked at Tori with raised eyebrows but she looked back at him with a bland expression.

"Very good Marissa," Dustin said, stepping into the ring. Ris just grinned at what she called her dad's teacher voice. "Don't worry Eva," he added in a kind voice to the beleaguered girl. "Most matches turn out like that. It's because the ninja students are for more advanced, even for kids taking martial arts."

"Yeah," Eva said, rubbing her ear which, damnit, still stung.

"Now for the second part," Dustin continued in a cheerful voice, not seeming to notice Eva's less than happy disposition. "Meditation. Cam'll talk you through that bit." He waved his friend over.

Cam stepped into the ring as Ris left it to join her cousins on the sidelines. "Okay Eva. David tells me you've done some meditating before?"

Eva nodded. "With Dayton."

"I'm not sure exactly what Dayton taught you but meditating for ninjas is slightly different to normal meditation, so I'll talk you through it. But first, we need to hook you up to this." He held up a device that looked like a slightly bulky PDA.

"Is that the thing that's going to measure whether I've got ninja energy or not?"

Cam looked slightly surprised, then understanding dawned when he glanced at his sons and honorary nieces and nephews. "I see you've done your research. Yes. This will measure your ninja energy. Here," he handed her a soft gel pad that had a wire connecting it to his invention. "Put this at the base of your throat, right here." He tapped the spot he wanted on his own body to demonstrate. "The thing is," he continued as she did so. "Everyone's got some ninja energy in them. That's why there are some really good non-ninja martial artists out there. Jackie Chan for instance," Cam added with a slight grin. "Here, sit down." He led Eva to the centre, settle her on the ground. "My instrument just measures the output of your ninja energy and compares it to the output of normal ninjas and if it is equal or above the normal level, it's a done deal.

"Now," he sat down in front of her, placed the PDA like invention on his lap. "Firstly, close your eyes; clear your mind of everything. Nod when you're done." Eva nodded. "Okay." She was surprisingly fast at that. "Now just stretch your senses out. Try touch everything around you with all your senses." She frowned and Cam could sense her concentration wavering. "Open your eyes now Eva. They are part of your senses. I know this bit is difficult. Just look inside yourself. You can do it."

She opened her eyes but they were blank – just as they were supposed to be. Slowly, light began to pulsate from her. Encouraged, Cam looked down at his measure and was stunned to find no indications of energy. But light was still creeping out, pulsing, it seemed, with every bit of her heart.

Light blue and glowing, it curled around him, over the rope, heading straight for Eva's team mates. They closed their eyes as it seemed to wash over them. Eva took a sudden deep gasp as her eyes came back to life. Everyone waited, tension stretching thin as a rubber band while Cam studied the read out. Finally, slowly, he held it up for Dustin, who had been looking over his shoulder for much of the mediation test, to see. Dustin straightened and, just as slowly as Cam had held up his device, shook his head.

Eva's shoulders slumped. Silence reigned.

Then she stood up.

"Thanks. For giving me the chance." She said without looking at them.

David took a step forward as she stepped out of the ring. "Eva."

She looked at him, grinned. "Thanks David." And she walked away.

"Damnit," David cursed under his breath, started to follow her but Jeanie grabbed his arm, shook her head.

"Leave her alone," Jeanie said in a quiet voice. "I think I know where she's going."

"Where?" David said, his arm nearly vibrating with tension in Jeanie's hand.

"Where else?" Trev asked. "Dayton."

* * *

Dayton entered the main cavern of the command base at the same time Eva rocketed through the entrance. "Eva." He took one look at her pale face and was deathly afraid of the talk to come. "What is the matter?"

"I failed Dayton." She crumpled, Dayton barely managing to catch her before her butt hit the ground. "Damnit, I failed."

Gently, Dayton pulled her to her feet, led her over to where David had piled the cushions into a heap earlier that week. He sat her down, took her hands into his, crouching so he was eye level at her. "Eva, you did not fail."

"Yeah. I did." She replied. "Dayton. I didn't get into the ninja academy. I wasn't good enough. I'm the weakest member of the team and this just proves it. Damnit!" She pulled her hands away from his to thrust fingers into her hair. "Damnit Dayton. I didn't get in."

"Eva." He sat beside her. "Eva. The others. They have grown up with this. They come from ninjas. It is expected they are ninjas, expected they are good fighters. They come from Power Rangers. It is expected they have power."

"And what? I don't, so I'm not?" Eva challenged.

"You are just as good as them."

"Good try Dayton," Eva said with a bitter smile. "But I can see right through it. Don't worry. I'm not going to give up or anything. I came here to train some more."

"Train?" Dayton blinked.

Eva grinned, and this time the smile was real. "Bet you thought I came here to cry on your shoulder."

"Well." Dayton looked embarrassed. "In my experience, that is what most females tend to do when dealt a hard blow."

"Well this female ain't most females," Eva said, standing up and stretching, loosening the muscles. "Come on Dayton. Train me. Make me better."

"Eva." Dayton rose to his feet. "Perhaps you are not quite in the right mindset for training at this moment."

"Come on Dayton." Eva rolled her eyes. "The only way to make me a better fighter is for me to train better. And the only way for me to come up equal with the others is to make me a better fighter. And the only way to beat Pleance is for me to come up equal with the others. It's a never ending cycle. Come on Dayton," she repeated. "You know I need to do this."

He studied her for a long moment; the slim brunette who had been the first ranger he had empowered. And knew that she really needed to do it. "All right," he said finally. "To the training room then."


	4. Skipping school

**Disclaimer: Everything you recognize belongs to Disney/Haim Saban**

"…and so the general formula for a plus b to the power of n is a to the power n, n c one, a to the power n minus one, b to the power one, n c two, a to the power n minus two, b to the power two, etcetera, etcetera until n c n, which is just b to the power n." Mrs Higgens turned from the board. "Any questions?"

"What if b equals three y?" Someone called out.

"Then calculate three to the power n. Take…"

Everyone stopped, looked around when the strange tune interrupted Higgens' explanation. Her eyes narrowed. "Is that a mobile phone?" She demanded.

No one answered, though David Bradley looked a little red. She immediately zoomed in on that. "Mr Bradley? Was that your mobile phone?"

"No ma'am," he replied, shaking his head.

For most boys, Higgens would have pressed deeper but David was one of the good ones; polite, soft spoken and, more importantly, hard working. So she continued on with the lesson. After a short while, she became aware of David's hand in the air. "Yes Mr Bradley?"

"May I please go to the toilet?"

She hesitated. "All right then," she relented. "Five minutes."

David nodded and nearly ran out of the class in his haste, making more than a few of his classmates snigger. In the empty hallway, he raced past the lockers, until he found a thin gap between the lockers and wall he could hide in. Squeezing in, he lifted his wristlet of his mouth. "What is it Dayton?"

"The monster is back. He is in the downtown area, heading in the direction of the great building with the large yellow arches."

"The McDonalds," David breathed. "Damnit, damnit, damnit. Contact the others; I'll be right there."

Pulling out of the gap, David looked up and down the hall, then walked to the nearest boy's bathroom. In there, he prepared to pull himself up to the window ledge of the tiny window. "Planning to break out?"

"Jeez!" Pure adrenaline had David stumbling back into the sinks, his hand clutching at his chest. "Damnit Jay, don't _do_ that!"

Jay raised his eyebrows. "Damn did you sound like a girl just then."

"Shut up and gimme a boost. That goddamn ugly monster is back, heading to McDonalds."

"McDonalds?" Jay asked. "Hot damn! When we blast the monster to ashes, d'you think we can stop there for a Big Mac?"

David paused in the act of stepping onto Jay's meshed fingers. "What the hell? You _do_ realise we have to get back to school after the fight before our teacher's realise we're gone?"

"Come on David," Jay said, boosting him up and watching his cousin wriggle out. "It'll practically be deserted this time of day!"

"No!" David called. "Can you boost yourself up using the sink?"

"Yeah, yeah," Jay muttered, clambering onto the sink and, teetering slightly, managing to grab the ledge of the window. With a bit of difficult manoeuvring, he managed to get his body through. And, in revenge, he decided to drop down on David.

"Urgh…" on the concrete, David groaned. "Damnit Jay."

"Sorry," Jay replied, not sounding sorry at all. But he did hold out a hand and help his cousin to his feet. "Let's go kick some monster ass."

"Agreed." David said and they began running.

Once they were at a safe distance from school, they ducked into a deserted alley. "You know," Jay said, looking around at the generic walls around them. "This scene is getting real old real fast."

"Focus will you Jay?" David, his legs braced apart at shoulder width, crossed his arm over his chest. Jay followed suit. "Ready?"

"Ready!" Jay returned as his wristlet flashed into his morpher.

"Dragon Rider, Ranger Form!"

"Minotaur Rider, Ranger Form!"

Lights, red and glowing black, swirled around the boys, from their heads and going down. And when they disappeared at their feet, two Rangers stood in their place. "Let's hope the others managed to get out of school," David said, clenching his gloved hands.

"You know them. They're probably already there, kicking the monster and some Frissons' butts."

"Let's do it then." David said. They jumped up and were gone in flashes of red and crimson as the ninja streaked across town.

When they found the monster, they found Jay's prediction was slightly right. Eva and Jeanie were already there; Jeanie facing off the Frissons and Eva ducking and weaving to avoid the monster's attack.

The boys moved in a way that only those who had done battle understood, David heading to help Eva, Jay to aid Jeanie with the Frissons.

Jeanie was in over her head – literally. Flat on her back on the ground, she raised one arm in a futile attempt to stop the Frissons rushing in with their claw like nails. Jay appeared like a Godsend; somersaulting onto on Frisson's shoulder, sending it crashing to the ground after he'd used it as a springboard to land, feet first, onto another Frisson's chest. He slammed his foot into it wide stretched face, making it explode around his legs while Jeanie rose to her feet, brushed her spotless suit off. "Thanks," she said.

"No problem," he said, grinning even though she couldn't see it. "It was fun."

"Knowing your sense of fun, of that I have no doubt," Jeanie said in a dry voice. She shifted her stance as more Frissons swarmed towards them. "Wanna have more?"

"When have I ever said no to fun?" Jay asked, taunting the Frissons by making a 'come on' gesture. And as they responded, the two rangers struck.

Eva, meanwhile, had backed away from the monster's barrage of attacks. "Damn," she muttered, and wished she wasn't wearing a helmet so she could wipe away the sweat she knew was forming on her brow. "Stupid tentacles."

David appeared from nowhere, his foot spearing into the side of the monster. It stumbled, lost its balance and fell while David ran to Eva. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," she said. "I could have taken him down."

Taken aback by the snapping tone, he stared at her. "What?"

"I could have taken him down. I didn't need your help."

"Eva…"

"Don't." She pushed away the hand he reached out. "He's getting up," she added seeing the monster rise.

"You'll pay for that!"

"Seriously dude," David said. "New comebacks. Really."

"This will speak enough for me." With that, the monster cupped all four of its hands and released a laser blast straight to the rangers.

With the speed only rangers can achieve, they jumped out of the way so the blast formed a shower of sparks in front of them. Eva landed, rolled, jumped to her feet, fists raised. David landed on a nearby table, steadied himself when he would have fallen off.

Eva jumped forward, grabbed one of the tentacles, kicked another out of the way, managed to knee the monster in the gut. When it bent double, she followed that up with a karate chop to the back of its neck. But one of its tentacle like arms shot up, wrapped itself around Eva's wrist. "Shit!"

David jumped off the table, would have slammed into the monster but for the fact it turned, forcing Eva into his path. They collided, went rolling. David landed on top and immediately raised himself on his elbows. "Eva! Are you all right?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I'm…look out!" Hands on his shoulders, she managed to roll them over in time to avoid the laser blast. As it was, David could feel its searing heat through his suit.

Once on top of David, Eva rose to a crouch, then jumped. David flipped to his feet in time to see Eva launch herself at the monster.

She blocked all its attacks, managed a roundhouse kick to its head before being forced the retreat. Chest heaving, she straightened her shoulders and went at it again.

Ris and Trev had finally arrived at the battle, plunging in the middle of the Frissons to help Jay and Jeanie out. "Finally!" Jeanie exclaimed upon seeing them.

"What took you so long?" Jay asked, ducking a swipe from one Frisson's claws, came up and, like a boxer, ploughed his fist into its face.

"Do you know how hard it is to get out Masterson's class?" Trev asked, sounding slightly testy as he blocked one Frisson's punch, grabbed another's arm and swung it into three others. He turned, grabbed Jeanie's shoulders to stop her from being sliced into from behind.

"Thanks," she panted out.

"Welcome," he replied.

They turned, swung back into the fight.

Eva and David were both slammed back into a nearby wall, slid to the ground. "Shit." David muttered, stumbling to his feet. "Is it just me or is this asshole stronger?"

"No idea," Eva replied. "I didn't fight him last time."

"One question," David turned his head to look at her. "How do you know 'it' is a 'he'?"

She stared at him. "The voice."

"Come get me Rangers!" The monster taunted on cue.

"Point," he acknowledged. And they charged.

David leapt forward with a side kick, which the monster anticipated and blocked. The monster, however, did no anticipate Eva's roundhouse slam into its side. It stumbled, swung to face her. She ducked one punch, blocked the other and caught it on the jaw. While it was stunned from the unexpected pain, she grabbed two tentacles, swung on one foot and slammed her knee into a vulnerable point just below its chest. Somehow twisted her body, she managed to kick it on its huge alligator like snout. It howled, stumbled back. And she continued attacking it with slam after slam.

David, waiting for a moment to come in and help out, could only stand and stare at the ferocity of her attack.

Finally, feeling herself tiring out, Eva pulled back at the same time Ris finished off the last of the Frissons with a solid right hook to its jaw. The monster, finding itself free from Eva's attack, straightened, readied to come forward. And found itself facing a line of six rangers. It muttered something under its breath and, just like before, disappeared.

David straightened from his ready stance, stared at the place the monster had been. "Damnit. Damnit, why does it keep doing that?"

"Okay, once makes sense. But twice?" Agitated and suspicious, Trev made to thrust his fingers into his hair, only to knock them against his helmet.

"What the hell is Pleance playing at?" Jeanie demanded to everyone in general. None, of course, could answer.

David, looking around and finding the surrounded area deserted, powered down. Everyone followed suit. He checked his watch. "Shit!"

"What's the matter?" Eva asked, looking at him.

"We," he said, looking at his team mates, all looking at him with varying degrees of confusion and worry on their faces, "are so busted."

* * *

_A/N: The beginning of the chapter is supposed to be a maths teacher talking. I wrote this on the day I actually learned it (but I'm so blur I can't remember what the name of the thing I was learnig is). Just in case there was some confusion_


	5. Grounding and meditation

**Disclaimer: Everyting you recognize belongs to Disney/Haim Saban**

"Three periods? They were missing for three periods!"

"Cam. Calm down."

"No! Damnit it hell, I will _not_ calm down. None of my children – none! – have _ever_ played hooky from school. And definitely none who were on the honour roll!"

"Cam." Firmly, Leanne took his upper arms, gave him a quick shake out of his near hysterics. "Hush. Let them talk. I'm sure they have a good explanation."

"Okay. Fine." Cam took a breath, looked at the five teens seated before him. Eva's parents had taken her away, no doubt to give her their own tongue-lashing. "Explain."

"Well. Um." Trev winced, couldn't look his dad in the eye.

But David did and spoke in a calm even voice; "there was a monster attacking the downtown area, working its way to the MacDonald's. I believe it's our duty as Power Rangers to protect the city and its citizens from any and all monster attacks."

Tori looked at her son with raised eyebrows. "How long have you been practicing that?"

His shoulders slumped. "Ever since we got back to school."

"What I want to know is why come back?" Dustin asked and earned hard looks from his friends and wife. "What?"

Jeanie shrugged. "Face up to our responsibilities. You taught us not to shirk from hard work or trouble," she pointed out.

"Jeanie," her mother said in a soft voice. "I don't think now is the time to be sassy."

"Sorry mum." She subsided.

"Look guys." Hitching up his pants slightly, Hunter sat down beside Jay. "We're not saying we don't understand why you did what you did. We do. As rangers we do. As parents…well, we got to punish you."

"What?" Jay sat up straighter, stared at him. "But, that's unfair! We only did it in the first place to save the world."

"Yeah!" Ris added. "And we've never played hooky before."

"You mean you've never been caught," Carla said in a dry voice. Ris coloured.

"Your brother doesn't know your motive for hooking," Marah pointed out. "And neither do your sisters," she added to Trev and David. "And unless you want them to find out…"

"Okay, okay," David said hurriedly. "Point taken Aunt Marah."

"Good." Blake said. "Then you'll understand when we say you have to be grounded for two weeks."

"Two weeks?" Jeanie repeated in a disbelieving voice.

Jay groaned. "Man, this is so unfair."

His mum smoothed a hand over his hair. "Take it or leave it James. Your father," she nodded at Shane, "was all for grounding you for a month."

"You know what?" He said quickly. "Two weeks doesn't sound too bad."

She smiled. "I thought you'd see it that way."

There was a knock on the door. They were in Shane's living room – his house being the nearest to the school. They had arrived at school, the whole crowd of them, looking furious enough to burn the school with one good glare. Eva's parents had already arrived by then and taken Eva home soon after.

Shane got up and left the room to answer it. He soon returned with Eva in two. She smiled at her friends. "Hey."

"We'll leave you guys to talk things over," Tori said, sensing they'd want a post-battle discussion, as she and her fellow rangers had so often indulged in. She gave David a pointed look. "Back at five David."

"Yes mum," David said.

"Same for you," Cam added to Trev, and Dustin and Hunter echoed his sentiments to their daughter.

They disappeared, leaving the rangers alone. "Man." Jay left his head fall back. "Two weeks. This sucks ass man."

"Worse than sucks ass," Jeanie muttered.

Trev looked at Eva, who'd sat down next to David. "How bad did you get?"

"Five days meditating with my parents."

"What?" Ris's mouth fell open. "But that's…that's what you do everyday! That's not punishment!"

Eva shrugged. "My parents aren't normal."

David raised his eyebrows. "And ours are?"

"In terms of parenting I mean," Eva amended. "They believe in discussing and exploring the inner self to solve problems instead of razzing and punishment. Like I said; my mum's a hippy."

"This is so unfair," Jay complained. "We get two weeks and you get five days? Of meditation? This more than sucks ass!"

"Just like I said," Jeanie commented. She stretched out her legs and tapped her fingers on her belly. "But more importantly, why did the monster just scram?"

"Is it just me but is this one acting a lot like the last one we fought?" Trev asked.

"I thought it was just me!" Ris chirped up. "The last one kept disappearing every time it faced all of us too."

"I wonder what the hell Pleance is up to?" David asked. "He's got to have a reason. Some sort of plan."

"Maybe he's scraping the bottom of his monster bucket?"

Jeanie snorted at Jay's suggestion. "We've fought four monsters before this. I seriously doubt that."

"Then what is it?" David asked in a frustrated voice.

"Until we find Pleance's lair, we have no way of knowing what he's up to. And what equipment he's using to implement his plans." Trev said. "First we find his layer. Then we start trying to figure out his plans."

"Sounds like a plan to me," Jeanie said.

The others agreed. Just then Jasmine appeared in the doorway. "James," she said. "Isn't it time for you to do your homework?"

He looked at her. "But mum…" She gave him a pointed look. He sighed, hung his head. "Yes mum." He got up, glanced at the others as he left the room. "See you guys tomorrow."

"I think you all need to be getting home as well. It's almost five."

"Yes Aunt Jasmine."

They filed out of the room and the house, then split up on their separate ways. David asked Eva to walk with him awhile. She raised her eyebrows but did as he asked. He looked at her out of the corner of his eye as he walked. "You did good today." He said finally.

She grinned at that. "What movie is that line from anyway?"

He grinned as well. "I didn't mean for it to come out that way. What I meant," he continued, "was that you fought really well today. You've really improved."

"Yeah, well," she shrugged. "I put in some extra training sessions with Dayton."

"How many?"

"Two per day."

Now David stopped, turned and stared at her. Eva stopped as well, turned to look at his stunned expression. "What?"

"Two per day. But…how the hell do you find time to do other stuff?"

"Like what?"

"I don't know…" he waved his hands around. "Homework?"

Her expression hardened. "If we fail – and we will fail if my fighting doesn't improve – do you think all that really matters? If Pleance and this Gregon dude take over the world, do you really think my undone homework really matters?"

David was shocked to silence. For a long suspended moment in time, they stood there. Then David spoke; "dude?" He asked. "I think you've been spending way too much time with Ris."

Eva's hard expression melted away. "Please." She grinned. "You use it too."

"Me?" He widened his eyes in a mock expression of innocent shock. "No way dude!"

Eva laughed, clapped a hand on his shoulder. "You do David." She checked her watch. "I've got to go; Dayton's expecting me."

She turned, her hand sliding down his arm as she took a step away. David caught her wrist and she automatically gave him a questioning look. "Eva, you know if anything – and I mean anything – is bothering you, you can always come to me. You know that, right?"

She gave him a soft smile and a nod. "I know that." Surprising them both, she leaned him, brushed her lips across his cheek. "See you around blondie."

She walked off and he watched her go. And he told himself the unease he felt low in his belly came from the two weeks grounding.

* * *

_A/N: And watch Cam freak out. Heh heh, I found a lot of personal enjoyment writing that bit. A little EvaDavid moment here. I'm not sure about Eva caling David blondie but oh well. He doesn't mind. Much._


	6. Can you talk to Eva for me?

**Disclaimer: Everything you recognise belongs to Disney/Haim Saban**

"Mum told me to tell you you're still grounded, so get off the phone."

David turned, frowned at his sister. "This is important."

She shrugged. "Hey I don't make the rules, mum does." She held out a hand. "Give. I wanna call Barbara." Barbara was a good friend of hers.

"You just made up mum saying that so you could use the phone." David retained his hold on the receiver.

Mary Ann raised her brows and looked extraordinarily like Tori, her black hair and slanted dark eyes notwithstanding. "Do you really want to test that?"

David hesitated, then uttered a soft oath. "I'll call you later," he said into the receiver and hung up. He stood up, glared at Mary Ann. "It's all yours."

"Shouldn't have played hooky and got caught," she said, thumping into the sofa chair beside the phone.

He rolled his eyes. "Like you haven't."

Her grin was quick and bright. "I haven't been caught," she said and picked up the receiver.

David wandered into the kitchen, where his mum was preparing dinner. "I'm bored."

She looked at him. "I've got some chores I need doing."

"Okay." He said immediately. "What're they?"

"Wow." Blake said from where he was getting a bottle of water from the fridge. "You really are bored."

"Yeah." David picked out a pear from the bowl of fruit Tori kept on the kitchen counter and slid into a seat at the sturdy wooden table that seated six at a stretch. "Just a week and three days more." He put the pear in front of him and his chin on the table and began inspecting it.

Sympathetically, Blake ruffled his son's hair. "It'll pass quicker than you think."

"Not quick enough," David called as Blake left the room.

Tori continued to stir the soup she had simmering and David continued to inspect his pear. Finally, deeming it as flawless as a pear could get, he sat up, rubbed it clean on his jersey and took a huge bite. Hearing the crunch of crisp fruit flesh, Tori turned, looked at him. "I've got dinner cooking."

"Yep."

"You're ruining your appetite."

David grinned. "I'm a growing boy mum. Nothing ruins my appetite." He looked down at his flat belly. "Though I wish it did. I'm getting fat; all this lazing around with nothing to do."

"Like I said," Tori tasted her soup. "I've got some chores I need doing."

"I think I'll pass for now." David waited a while, watched as she left the soup to simmer, took out the potatoes she'd left soaking and began to thinly slice them. "Mum."

"Yes David?" She asked in a dry voice.

"Can you please talk to Eva for me?"

At the strange question from her usually confident son, Tori left off cutting the potatoes and turned to face him, leaning against the counter. "David, I know you're not that comfortable around girls, but I seriously don't think I'm the right person to –"

David's brow furrowed as she spoke, then cleared. He went red. "No! I mean, I don't mean that," he said in an awkward voice, practically wriggling in his seat. "I mean. She's acting a bit strange. Like, not herself."

Frowning, Tori slid into the seat opposite him. "I think you need to explain yourself a little better David."

"Well. She says she's training two times a _day_ with Dayton. And she's neglecting her homework – she got told off yesterday for it. Which isn't like her. She's usually pretty serious about her schoolwork. I've tried talking to her about, you know, balancing things out but…" he shrugged. "I don't think I'm getting to her. Something's up with her and she won't talk to me about it," he said, obviously frustrated.

"David." Tori reached out, squeezed the hand he clenched on the table. "I don't think I'm exactly the right position to talk to Eva either."

David looked at her. "But you always know what to say to get my head straight."

"I'm your mum David," Tori said. "Of course I do. What I mean is; I've never been in the same position as Eva." His brow furrowed. "Eva failed the screening test, remember?" Tori reminded him in a gentle voice. "And you said yourself you think she took it to prove a point. Well, whatever it was, she didn't prove it. I passed the screening test. I'm a ninja – exactly the sort of person she was aiming to be. So, no, I'm not the right person to talk to her."

"Right." David's face brightened suddenly. "Then I'll get Uncle Cam to talk to her. He's not a ninja!"

"But he comes from ninja," Tori said, hand tightening on his to stop him from leaving. "And he's a samurai which is, in Eva's eyes, probably equal to a ninja. No. I don't anyone from our immediate circle should talk to Eva about this."

"Then who should?" David demanded. "If we don't sort her out, it'll be like what Ris said; she'll be like Pleance without balance."

"Ris said that?" Tori asked, surprised.

"Mum."

"Sorry." She waved a hand, dismissing it. "It's all right David. I'm going to ask Dr. Oliver to help us out."

David's brows furrowed. "Dr. Oliver?"

"You remember? The man who helped us save your Uncle Dustin and Aunt Marah?"

"There were four guys who helped us," David pointed out. "Which one is he?"

"The oldest one."

"Oh. Right." David grinned. "The one that dad and Uncle Hunter, Uncle Shane, Uncle Dustin and Uncle Can practically worship."

"That one, but I don't think you should mention that to your dad – or any of them in fact. Cheeky monkey," she added, but secretly cheered he looked slightly happier now.

"But I thought Dr. Oliver's one of the best rangers in the world."

"He is," Tori allowed. "But Tommy knows how to contact all the ranger teams in the world. I'm sure he'll be able to find someone who Eva can connect with."

David smiled. "Thanks mum."

She smiled back at him. "Anything for a fellow ranger." She leant over the table and kissed the centre of his brow. "And more for my boy."

"I knew it!" At Mary Ann's voice, they both jerked back, stared at her standing in the doorway. "I knew David was your favourite." Then she grinned. "But that's okay. I'm dad's favourite." With that, she stuck her tongue out at David and pranced off.

David looked at his mum. "Are you _sure_ she's not adopted?"

* * *

_A/N: Tori and Blake seem like cool parents, don't they? Just wanted to show a little family life._


	7. Talk with an oldnew friend

**Disclaimer: Everything you recognize belongs to Disney/Haim Saban**

"Eva?"

Eva looked up, narrowed her eyes at her younger brother. "What?"

"Phone for you." He practically threw the cordless phone at her, making her drop her book to catch it.

"Idiot!" She yelled after him.

"Klutz!" He yelled back.

Grumbling, she bent down, scooped up her book and put the receiver to her ear. "Hello?"

"Is that Eva Stevens?"

"Yeah?" She frowned at the faraway unfamiliar voice.

"This is William Cranston."

"Who?" Eva straightened, put the book on her desk.

"Ah. You might know me as Billy."

"Billy?" Eva's frown deepened then cleared when it clicked. "Billy! Oh my god! You're the…you know what you are."

"You know your ranger history."

"Yeah. Um…yeah." She grinned, sitting on the edge of her bed. "Wow. This is so cool. Um…what did you call me for?"

"Uh. Well. This will sound slightly awkward and a little like we're – I mean, _I_ – am being a busybody. But…a little problem has come to my attention in regards to your attitude towards skirmishing."

"Pardon?"

"Oh. My apologies. I've found out that you're very into fighting."

"What?"

"You've been training two times per day, and perhaps more than your team knows, in regarding that the state of your homework has declined."

"I'm sorry." Eva rubbed the headache brewing at her temples. "Please. Rewind. I'm not getting you."

"Ah. Sorry. What I mean is that your team's worried about you. They think you're training too hard."

"Excuse me?" Eva exploded. "My team? As in David and Jeanie and Trev and Ris and Jay?"

"Uh – yes."

"But. What? They haven't said anything."

"Are you sure?"

At that weighted question, Eva paused. "I…I guess." She sighed. "Man. I guess they called in the troops huh?"

"They've tried talking to you, from what I gather. And they don't think they got through to you."

"They don't know!" Eva bounced up from the bed, started pacing her room. She swung, kicked out and slammed her door shut. "They don't know what it's like."

"I do."

Billy's quiet comment stopped Eva like nothing else could have. "What?"

"I know how you feel. I was not exactly the best fighter when my friends and I first became Power Rangers. To tell the truth, I was the worse fighter."

"But…you defeated Rita." Eva lowered herself onto the bed.

"Yes. We did. Through hard work and teamwork. If you must know; I only have a yellow belt in martial arts. It is all I managed to get to and I am satisfied with it."

"You are?"

"Yes." She could almost hear his smile through the receiver. "I was not the best fighter, but I could think, and I used that to help my friends."

"But I'm not the cleverest in the group, Jeanie and Trev are."

"Yes," he allowed. "They are. But for what I can understand, you are the heart of it."

"Pardon?"

"In my team – and I speak of the original team here – Jason was the leader, Zack was the joker, Trini was the sensible one and I was the brains. And Kim was the heart."

"Kim. You mean Kimberly Ann Hart?"

"Yes. Kim was not the best fighter. To tell the truth, sometimes she was more interested in clothes and shopping than in saving the world. But she was the heart. She was, and still is actually, the glue that keeps us together. Yes, I suppose you think that being the sensible one, Trini would be the heart of the team. But she lacked something Kim had, something none of us could put our finger but was still there. Each team has a heart. And you, Eva, are the heart of yours. It doesn't matter that you're not the best fighter. Kim wasn't. I definitely wasn't. But we did what we did best and we succeeded. And that, you must know, is what being a ranger is about. Doing your best, without injury to yourself or others."

After Billy's somewhat lengthy speech, Eva couldn't really find anything of value to say. They exchanged good byes, she said thank up and they hung up together. And she sat on her bed, the phone in her lap, staring into space.

Until everything Billy had said drove home. Without thinking, she picked up the phone again, dialled the number from memory. And her morpher went off.

Swearing, she dropped the phone, raised the morpher to her mouth. "What's up Dayton?"

"The monster is back again I am afraid. He is at the warehouses."

"He has the best timing, don't he?" Eva muttered. "I'll be there. What about the others?"

"I believe James is currently climbing out of his bedroom window, Marissa is informing her parents, Jeanie and Trevor have both already 'snuck out' – I believe is the term – and David is on his way."

"Okay. So am I." With that Eva was off her bed and running down the stairs. "Mum! I'm going out!" Without waiting for any answer, Eva ran through the door and down the street.

Running down the deserted road, she tried something none of the new rangers had yet tried. Morphing while running. "Griffin Rider, Ranger Form!" Blue lights descended, blinding her temporarily, only to clear, leaving her with the limited view of her helmet. The rest of her slim body was clad in her blue ranger suit. "Yes!" _It worked!_

Grinning, she increased her speed to the super speed all rangers are gifted with and headed straight for the battle.

* * *

_A/N: Not too sure about this chapter...I might change it later. But at least Eva's go her head screwed on right again. Right?_


	8. It's all good

**Disclaimer: Everything you recognize belongs to Disney/Haim Saban**

David slammed into the warehouse wall, slid down to the all too solid concrete floor. "Fuck." He gritted his teeth, stood up though his legs trembled. "Yeah. I was right; this bastard _is_ stronger."

"Enough talk, more fight," Jay panted as he skidded over to where his cousin stood. "You all right?"

"I'm fine," he said in a grim voice. "Since his strength's increased, I think it's time to increase ours."

"So not getting you," Jay said, grabbing the arm of an attacking Frisson, slamming his fist into its belly and finishing it off by punching it straight in the jaw.

"Dragon's Sword!"

Jay grinned as colourful shards showered around his black clad frame. "That I get. Minotaur's Sabre!"

The two weapons appeared in the teens hands. David held his with the loose control of an experienced warrior, Jay with the confident hold of a crazy one. "Let's do this!"

They launched themselves forward towards the monster at the same time Eva finally found the damn warehouse and ran through the entrance.

"Bit late," Jeanie said, vaulting over three Frissons to join her.

"When Dayton said warehouse, I naturally assumed you were _outside_ the warehouses." Eva replied, bracing herself as a wave of Frissons came forward. The two girls ducked under the first blows thrown, Jeanie snapping left to right at a dizzying pace, then suddenly whirling and taking out two Frissons at the same time with a round house kick.

Eva grabbed the arm of one Frisson, tossed it into two others, and dispatched another with a punching kick straight in its wide ugly face. Balancing on one leg, she leant forward, one leg stretching back gracefully, almost like a dancer doing a leg extension, to slam her foot into an oncoming Frisson's belly. She straightened again, twisting her leg in such away that it landed on the downed Frisson's head with deadly force. Jeanie looked at her. "Nice move."

"Thanks," Eva said. "I've been practicing."

Ris and Trev, meanwhile, were in the thick of the Frissons, ducking blow after blow and dispatching foot soldier after foot soldier. "How many?" Ris asked.

"'bout twenty five so far. You?"

"Twenty one." She turned, slamming her elbow into a Frisson's windpipe and snapping her fist into its nose. It exploded in a sparkle of lights. "Twenty two," she corrected.

Trev grabbed an attacking Frisson's arm, snapped it with scary ease and punched the Frisson in the face. "Twenty six," he counted aloud.

"Are they," Eva said in an amazed voice, bending at the waist so an attacking Frissons rolled over her back, "counting," she turned, slammed her foot into its face, "how many Frissons they get rid off?"

"Seems it," Jeanie replied in an unperturbed voice, letting a Frisson grab her and swing her around. She used the momentum to swing it into several of its kind. As they went down, she jumped, whirled in mid air with her leg out, slamming into Frissons' heads with deadly accuracy.

"That," Eva said, "was a good move."

"Looks like David and Jay need our help," Trev called out suddenly, ducking under a Frissons high attack and coming up with an uppercut to its jaw.

"Then let's finish these bastards." Jeanie said, her lips pulled back to reveal her teeth in a wild snarl. Luckily, her helmet hid her expression from her team mates. "Unicorn's Slings!"

"Griffin's Bow!"

"Centaur's Staff!"

"Phoenix's Daggers!"

And with their weapons, the four rangers became even more deadly, attacking with single minded intent. They finished off the last Frisson as David and Jay landed on the ground in front of them, David's body curled from a blow to the belly, Jay holding an injured arm. Eva and Trev helped them up. Keeping a wary eye on the monster, David panted out; "Spirit Cannon. Now."

"Right!" They formed it from their mishmash of weaponry, pointing the completed cannon at the monster.

"Fire!"

At David's command, a grey swirling mass rocketed out of the cannon mouth with enough force to make the rangers rock back slightly. It moved straight towards the monster, who turned, ready to run. Only to have the mass catch up with him.

They exploded.

The rangers waited, tense and still, for Pleance to come out, to re-grow his monster as he had once before. But…nothing.

"This makes no sense," David said once they had disassembled the Spirit Cannon and their weapons had disappeared. "Power down," he added and the uniform shattered off his form.

The others followed suit. "What the hell is Pleance playing at?" Jay added, obviously pissed. "Making monsters, then not biggening them."

"Biggening?" Jeanie repeated, raising her eyebrows. "Now you're making up words?"

"Less arguing, more moving grounded asses back home," Trev said and they began to walk, still arguing.

Eva hung back. "David."

He looked back at her, then stopped. "What's up?" He asked, concerned by the expression on her face.

She cocked her head at him. "A certain man called me today. He said his name's William Cranston. But that I'd know him better as Billy."

"Oh. Oh." David coloured, stuck his hands in the front pocket of his faded jeans and rocked back on his heels. "Well. Er. I guess you'll be wanting an explanation for that."

She smiled. "No. I don't."

Startled, he looked up at her. "What?"

"I don't. What he said; it was right. Not all of it, but most of it. I mean, what's the use of saving the world if I fail high school and can't move on, right?" She asked.

"Right," David grinned.

"So I'm gonna cut back on my training sessions with Dayton and I'll concentrate back on my studies."

"Okay. Okay. That's all I wanted in the first place. I just wanted you to find your balance again. Eva." He touched her shoulder, slid down her arm to take a hold of her wrist. "I don't know what you thought you had to prove, but you don't have to prove anything to us. We are who we are, you are who you are. You can no more change that than you can change the fact the sun's a big ball of gaseous fire."

"Nice comparison."

"Thanks. I've been working on it." His grin was brilliant but quickly faded into a serious expression. "I'm not saying you're perfect or we're perfect. We're not great at fighting, we just happen to be better than you because we've been doing it all our lives. You got to remember that next time Eva."

"Don't worry," she said with a reassuring smile. "There's not going to be a next time."

"Good."

"God, will you guys stop making out and get a move on?"

At Jay's voice, they jerked away from each other and, as one, turned to glare at him. His smirking smile slowly disappeared. "Oh shit." Then he pivoted and flew for his life as two very pissed rangers pounded after him.

And Ris, Trev and Jeanie shored each other up as their knees went weak with laughter.

_Pleance looked at his creations before him. "Everything is in place," he said, his smile dark and sinisterly handsome. "And you are ready. We strike soon." He turned his head, looked at the shimmering image of the six rangers. "And you will suffer before you die."_

* * *

_A/N: I love writing from Pleance's side. He's just so...creepy. I've already started work on episode 6 (it was supposed to be episode five but I got the idea of this episode and I decided it'll be better off if this one comes first). Sorry for the lack of zord fights and discovery of special powers. They will come! I promise!_


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